FDC holds delegates conference

Oct 28, 2005

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) interim chief Col. Kizza Besigye yesterday opened his party’s maiden annual delegates’ conference at Namboole Stadium, Kampala.

By Isaac Kalembe and Charles Etukuri

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) interim chief Col. Kizza Besigye yesterday opened his party’s maiden annual delegates’ conference at Namboole Stadium, Kampala.

The two-day conference to elect the FDC presidential candidate and leaders attracted over 1,000 members from across the country and abroad, sympathisers and the G6 opposition parties. Besigye outlined the party’s blue-print for next year’s elections.

“The FDC Programme offers the best hope to the people of Uganda. We have the people, structures and stamina. Let’s go for it. Let’s go for a win,” he said in his characteristic baritone.

Notable delegates included Sir Richard Kaijuka, Mugisha Muntu, Augustine Ruzindana, Dr. Sulaiman Kiggundu, Sam Njuba, FDC envoys Prof Bwogi Kanyerezi and Beti Kamya, Salaamu Musumba and members of the FDC national transitional council.

They also included FDC external coordinators Dr. Munini Mulera (Canada), Dr Chris Kibuuka (South Africa), Matthias Nsubuga (Denmark), Sam Akaki (UK) and deputy Beatrice Hamujuni Smith.
Abu Mayanja and Hannah Lule, the wife of former President Yusuf Lule, attended as invited guests.

US Embassy political affairs officer Nathan Holt, Prof. Jianguo Xu of the Chinese embassy and French embassy press attaché Achilles Kiwanuka attended.

Besigye said if the opposition won next year’s elections, they should form a coalition government to ensure a smooth transition from the Movement system to multipartyism.

“The progressive political parties appreciate the need to co-operate closely in the task of dislodging the dictatorship and making a successful transition to democratic governance,” he said.

In a 66-minute speech punctuated by cheers and ululation, Besigye outlined the party’s five-point action-plan that included reducing the cost of administration, taxes and interest rates.

It also focuses on human resource development, economic infrastructure, domestic credit, agriculture and rural transformation, tourism and industrial development.

Dressed in a black suit, matching leather shoes, blue FDC T-shirt and cap, Besigye said, “We have no choice but to mobilise, organise and confront the enormous hurdles arranged before us.”

“We have a clear and potent action plan. What is needed is to create the opportunity to implement the good ideas in the FDC programme,” he said.

Besigye said the opposition should marshal all the resources at their disposal to defeat the Movement through the ballot.

He called for the extension of registration of voters to enable more eligible Ugandans to participate in the elections but the electoral commission ruled that out yesterday.

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